This is our sailing blog. There are many blogs like it, but this one is ours.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Perspective

These manta rays in Bora Bora were about 14' from wingtip
to wingtip.

One evening at dinner, we were discussing the relative
poverty levels of much of the world compared to the U.S. and other first-world
countries. This, of course, was a rarity since most dinnertime topics seem to be either the boys discussing "strategy" about how to kill zombies in their one iPad game or us trying to explain why putting a piece of food the size of a baseball onto your fork is not considered to be good manners. But I digress...back to world poverty. Mark chimed in with, "Well, we're poor, because we don't have a
lot."

The piñata we made for Conrad's birthday party.

I can see how it might seem that way to a seven-year old who has
lived and travelled on a boat for a good chunk of his life (especially the part
he actually remembers). We live in a small space, compared to a house. We are
careful to not waste water or electricity. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sometimes limited. We
rarely have unlimited internet with which to play certain awesome zombie-killing iPad games.
We don't own a car and most of our travel is at the blistering pace of 4 to 7
knots.

Now, we destroy it. The kids jumped into the water
after the candy that flew in after the piñata broke.

Mark's right that we don't have a lot of material possessions
compared to
folks on land. But poor? As we sit in a scenic anchorage in Bora Bora,
our boat is more 'ocean-front' than any of the ritzy hotels with over-water
cabins that surround us. We have the luxury of being able to explore places at a more leisurely pace than tourists
that are limited by 1 or 2 weeks of vacation. Our family is together all the
time. (Okay, that one can be a double-edged sword. But considering how fast kids grow up, I would much rather err on
the side of too much togetherness.) I think we're far from poor. You may
disagree (Mark apparently does) or even question my sanity (you would not be
the first). Vive la difference!

A view of our anchorage from the main island of Bora Bora.

Today, we head into town to stock up on fresh produce and
top off our diesel, gas, propane and baguette stores before we head to the Cook Islands. The
wind, waves and weather for the near future are less than ideal, as we bump up
against our visa end. That being said, Wednesday
is shaping up to be an acceptable day to leave. We have enjoyed our stay in French Polynesia but are eager for what's next.